


gone too soon

by mabufus



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Hank Anderson Character Study, Not a ship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:20:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15377571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mabufus/pseuds/mabufus
Summary: A small character study on Hank Anderson; in which he finally lets himself think about Cole and realizes he needs to stop drinking so much.





	gone too soon

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on my tumblr, but I decided to put it on here, too!

To say that Hank Anderson was tired was an understatement. He had spent the previous night out drinking alone at Jimmy’s bar, trying to forget that he had been assigned cases with an android who wouldn’t even listen to him, even though he was programmed to do _exactly that_.

Scotch had been his friend that night, even though he always liked to drink thoughts away with a smoky whiskey. No matter the drink, he downed it with ease, although it had always burned his throat. With time, he’s gotten used to it.

A few nights prior, Connor had showed up at his home and _literally_ slapped him awake. Sumo, despite being a good dog, was useless against unannounced house guests; at least ones that didn’t show signs of being bad.

Anderson would be lying if he said it wasn’t some sort of weird wake-up call. He was now reluctant to even pass out, in fear that Connor could come knocking at any moment and wake him up again or destroy more of his property. He now only got a little less drunk, but it was a start. He was learning when he needed to stop.

He still woke up this morning with a headache, though, despite not drinking as much as usual. Maybe it was a withdrawal symptom? He laughs at the thought; he doesn’t know what a withdrawal symptom is.

Groaning and moaning as he stretched, Anderson gets out of bed. Sumo is at his side, wagging his big fluffy tail. He smiles when Anderson scratches the top of his head. “Good boy,” he says to him, his voice still groggy.

He trudges to the kitchen, Sumo following behind, and halts at the kitchen table. He hadn’t noticed it before, but in the mess of empty pizza boxes, the picture of Cole on the table had been put upright again. He didn’t have the heart to put it back up when it had gotten knocked down one night. He missed Cole so much he felt it in every bone of his body.

Connor had put the picture up again. He knows this because Connor was the only one to visit his house in a very long while.

Anderson stares at the photo for a moment. It was nice to see his face again, even though it made him feel intense heartache.

“ _Hey Cole_ ,” he whispers to the picture. He almost waits for a reply back, and feels foolish in doing so. He’s been gone for a few years now, he’s not coming back. Anderson knows this, but it still hurts.

_Riiiiiiiiiiing._

“ _Lieutenant Anderson, it’s me, Connor. We’ve been assigned to another deviant case. A homicide, downtown._ ”

He rang the doorbell again.

“Speak of the devil,” Anderson mutters to himself. “I’m coming, Connor! Don’t break my fucking window again.” he shouts. Said window from Connor’s last visit was still _very_ broken. It had been sort of fixed with a meager amount of duct tape for now, but Anderson knew from his handy work that it wouldn’t stay like that for long.

“ _Alright, Lieutenant, you have my word._ ” Connor shouts from the other side of the front door.

Anderson sighs and makes his way to the front door. Of course, the one time he had gotten up early he was assigned a case. When he opens it, Connor extends a hand his way.

“Good morning, Lieutenant. You’re looking less hungover than usual.” Though his voice was human, there was still the robotic air it gave off. It makes sense, given that he’s an android, but it still spooked Anderson out at times. How can you look so human, sound so human, but still be so stiff?

“Yeah, yeah,” Anderson mumbles, waving Connor off. “I’ll get dressed and we can go.”

“If you’d like, I can help you pick out your outfit again.”

“ _No_ ,” is Anderson’s immediate reply.


End file.
